Why Hancock Whitney (HWC) is a Great Dividend Stock Right Now

Company Overview - Hancock Whitney (HWC) is based in Gulfport and operates in the Finance sector, with a year-to-date share price change of 2.74% [3] - The company currently pays a dividend of $0.4 per share, resulting in a dividend yield of 2.85%, which is higher than the Banks - Southeast industry's yield of 2.26% and the S&P 500's yield of 1.54% [3] Dividend Performance - The annualized dividend of Hancock Whitney is$ 1.60, reflecting a 6.7% increase from the previous year [4] - Over the last five years, the company has increased its dividend two times year-over-year, with an average annual increase of 7.74% [4] - The current payout ratio is 30%, indicating that the company pays out 30% of its trailing 12-month earnings per share as dividends [4] Earnings Growth - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Hancock Whitney's earnings per share for 2025 is $5.48, representing a year-over-year growth rate of 3.01% [5] Investment Appeal - Hancock Whitney is considered an attractive dividend play and a compelling investment opportunity, currently holding a Zacks Rank of 1 (Strong Buy) [7]